News and Culture Intertwined

An Interview with a Terrorist, in the form of a Poem [from the archive]

An Interview with a Terrorist- in the Form of a Poem

Hello
Good day
Is that your
dog?
That piece of dirt?
That scum?
No
it is not mine
Why do you fight for ISIL?
Death to America
Why
Death to America
I had to know why
he wanted death to America
again, I asked
Why
Death to America
he replied
What is your goal?
What is the goal of ISIL?
To conquer the world
To bring justice
To destroy the infidels
What if I told you I was an infidel?
He pulled out a knife
Put it to my throat
Are you? He asked
No, but now I know your reaction
If I was
He put the knife away
Are you excited for the virgins
I asked?
Yes, he said
Very
Hot sand then blew
Into the tent
because the dog had gone through the flap
The terrorist cursed
تفاصغ
then he shot the dog
to me,
the dog is an infidel
nothing but disrespect
the terrorist says
I then drink from
my canteen
what do you think of Saudi Arabia?
I asked
They protect Mecca and Medina,
but it must fall to IS
what’s your opinion on
the Taliban
and Al Quada?
They did good, but are
weak
why join ISIS?
The Americans bomb us
they commit sin
we shall destroy them
bring justice
serve Allah
Death to America
he says again

the words start to ring
in my
ear

Death to America
Death to America
Death to
America
But why
why
why death to America

The terrorist then started to get up
I must go
I had a nice time
Talking to you
Do you want to
marry my daughter?
I politely said
no

As he began to leave the tent
I said
Rome didn’t fall in a day
he turns and says
darkness can quench a light suddenly
or it can do it slowly
we have already
vanquished many lights
we can do it slowly or suddenly
for we have Allah on
our side
and we our all
powerful

Death to America

And then I understood
Death to America
is not a wish
it’s a philosophy
it’s an inevitable occurrence
and they merely wish
to speed up the process

I said goodbye
to the man
he nodded
left the tent

I drove home
saw horrors on my way
and I thought
of the terrorist

That night as I sat in bed
the words again rang in my ears
I went up to the roof of my building
and looked
upon Iraq
this
the Middle East
Africa
is where the world began
but now it is a ruin

for the world to begin
again
this place must
enact its
revenge on those who ruined it

it is inevitable

I shall continue to fight
the terrorists that knock on my door
but it is inevitable